Flag of Kosovo

Kosovo, a United Nations-administered province of Serbia, has no provincial flag. Whenever an official flag is used the United Nations' flag is flown. The province is the subject of a long-running political and territorial dispute between the Serbian (and previously, the Yugoslav) government and Kosovo's largely ethnic-Albanian population. International negotiations began in 2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo (See Kosovo status process). Most ethnic-Albanians would otherwise display the Albanian flag, whilst Serbs would use the Serbian flag. There is no current or historic national, provincial or regional flag that represents Kosovo's territory. However an Albanian flag with the red star outlined in yellow is erroneously reported as a historical flag while in fact this was the flag of the Albanian ethnical community in Socialist Yugoslavia (mainly in Kosovo). Ibrahim Rugova, the first president of Kosovo introduced the "flag of Dardania" on October 29, 2000. The flag with the albanian eagle bears the legend "Dardania", the ancient word for Kosovo, but is not officially recognized by any international power. This flag didn't gain much popularity.

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  Flag of the United Nations used for official and government purposes in Kosovo.
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  The flag of Albania is used by the Albanian majority of the Kosovo population.
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  Serbs in the Serbian enclaves use the Serbian tricolour, the official flag of Serbia.
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  The unofficial "Flag of Dardania", occasionally flown at sporting events and festivities.

Competition for a new Flag

Should Kosovo gain independence from Serbia as a result of the UN-sponsored talks, the new state would require national symbols including a new flag. A competition was held in June 2007 which received 993 entries for a design for any new flag. Under the terms of UN talks, all such symbols would have to reflect the multi-ethnic nature of Kosovo, avoiding the use of the Albanian or Serbian double-headed eagles or the use of solely red and black or red, blue and white colour schemes. Additionally, all entries have to be rectangular and have a 2:3 proportion. A total of 700 proposals met these criteria. A group of Kosovo politicians and experts known as the "Unity Team" will select three designs which would go forward for a vote by the Assembly of Kosovo (with a two-thirds majority required for approval), should independence result from the status talks.

See also

Approved Logo for the Provisional Institutions Of Self Government in Kosovo

Links

• "The Comprehensive proposal for Kosovo Status Settlement" by UNOSEK
• http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=05&dd=30&nav_category=93&nav_id=41493